Double delight as rare hyena cubs are spotted at Yorkshire Wildlife Park by eagle-eyed visitors
Two adorable spotted hyena cubs have been born at Yorkshire Wildlife Park – and visitors were the first to spot them.
First-time mum Noubia stunned half-term crowds when she was seen carrying a tiny cub in her mouth across the reserve last Wednesday.
Two days later, keepers got an even bigger surprise when a second cub emerged from the den.
Staff had suspected Noubia was pregnant but because hyenas prefer deep underground dens it was difficult to confirm without disturbing her.
Bex Brown, Carnivore Team Leader at the park, said: “It was heartwarming to see Noubia and her cubs.
“Despite having access to their own purpose-built house at the park, hyenas like to find security in underground dens.
In the wild these are often abandoned burrows dug by other animals and can be between four and 20 metres long.
In the wild they act as nurseries where cubs from different mothers gather.
“But it makes things difficult for rangers to monitor, so whilst it was suspected that Noubia was pregnant, it was hard to find out if she had given birth without disturbing her.
“We were very excited when we got a call to say a visitor had seen a cub above ground, it was a massive relief for us."
Hyenas usually have one or two cubs, so the team initially believed there was just one but days later, a second tiny face appeared from the den.
Noubia has already proved she is a protective mum.
When the weather suddenly turned cold and rainy, she carried one of the cubs into the shelter of the house.
Bex added: “It was raining, it went cold and Noubia decided that she would pick up the cub and to our surprise brought it into the house. That's quite a big ask as hyenas, naturally in their mum mode, are quite secretive.
“To see the cub close up and that she’d chosen to bring it into the shelter of the house was fantastic. It’s about a month old and you could see that its little belly was full.”
Charlotte MacDonald, Director of Animals at the park, said: “These are Noubia’s first cubs, but it seems she is a natural mother.
“She is getting used to the cubs and is besotted with them. They are pretty independent and well developed when they are born with their eyes already open and they have teeth.
“It is great to know that Noubia knows that the house is a safe place for her and her cubs and that she has that trust in us. Though they still prefer their own den out in the reserve.
“Noubia came from a zoo in Belgium and was only introduced to the male hyena Speedy a few months ago and they got on really well straight away.
“We are delighted that they were able to contribute to the breeding programme so quickly.”
The birth is an important boost for the species, which is declining in the wild.
Visitors can see Noubia and Speedy at Experience Ethiopia at the park.
The cubs join other recent arrivals, including Neo the endangered okapi calf, who is currently staying close to his mum Ruby.